Ore. National Guard to show off drones

May. 13, 2013 - 06:00AM
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PENDLETON, ORE. — The Oregon National Guard will be showing off four new drones that are based at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport in Pendleton.

The guard is holding a press conference at the airport Tuesday, where it will fly the unmanned aircraft for the first time in civilian airspace.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently gave approval to fly drones over a 100-square-mile area of mostly wheat fields north of the airport. The guard has previously flown the drones in military airspace at the nearby Boardman Bombing Range.

The RQ 7B Shadow 200 drones have a wingspan of 14 feet and are equipped with two cameras — one infrared and one video.

Spokesman Pat Caldwell says Bravo Company of the 41 Brigade Special Troops Battalion will be training with the drones.